No. 237September 2004

In This Issue

"What's in it for us?" seems to be the question asked by all parties involved in drug discovery in developing countries, and too often the answer is "not enough." The 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro resulted in the Convention on Biological Diversity, which intended to make conservation a win-win proposition for governments, commercial companies, and scientists. Governments of biologically diverse developing nations, however, remain suspicious of private interests, and companies seemingly do not reap sufficient compensation for the significant wading through local regulations that establishing cooperative programs involves.

Panama's bioprospecting project-the Panama International Cooperative Biodiversity Group, or ICBG-is featured in the June 10 issue of Nature as one of the few programs "getting it right." The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) houses and administers ICBG. In its sixth year, ICBG employs ten senior scientists in six laboratories representing a consortium of international and local research organizations to discover novel compounds to control cancer, AIDS, and other diseases. To date, the team has developed a new, non-radioactive assay for antimalarial agents and is seeking a patent for a compound active against the parasite causing leishmaniasis.

The project yields immediate rewards for developing countries: training local microbiologists, creating jobs, and promoting conservation. Unlike many projects, in which a share in the royalties for products that make it to the market is the only reward for local researchers and governments, Panama's ICBG was designed to make bioprospecting a sustainable endeavor.

A postdoctoral position in tropical forest ecology is available within the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) - Arnold Arboretum Asia Program of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The CTFS-AA Asia Program coordinates a network of long-term research programs in the tropical forests of eight collaborating Asian countries. Candidates are sought in the areas of forest ecology and the evolution and biogeography of forest communities. A strong analytical background is preferred. Candidates should have an established record of research and scholarly publication in tropical forest ecology and/or evolution. Experience in the field and in Asian forests is not essential. Positions are to be based at Harvard University. Send CV and names of three references to: Stuart Davies, CTFS-AA Asia Program, The Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA; E-mail: sdavies@oeb.harvard.edu. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers.

Taking online field guides to a whole new level, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History has brought North American Mammals <http://web4.si.edu/mna/> to the Internet for students, teachers, and naturalists of all ages. The website provides information for over 400 mammal species and includes high-quality range maps, photographs, scientific illustrations, family tree diagrams, weights and measures, and more. Integrating new technologies, the site offers interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) maps that pinpoint the location of different mammal species. Site visitors can also choose from a variety of map overlays to assist mammal searches including rivers, cities, topography, state boundaries, and US interstate highways. The site provides the conservation status for different species; create-your-own field guide options; skull, teeth, and bone images; resource links; and a helpful glossary as well. The website is based on the Mammals of North America by Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, and The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff.

Branch, G.M., and Steffani, C.N. 2004. Can we predict the effects of alien species? A case-history of the invasion of South Africa by Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck). J. Exp. Marine Biol. Ecol. 300(1-2):189-215.

Brockington, D., and Schmidt-Soltau, K. 2004. The social and environmental impacts of wilderness and development. Oryx 38(2):140-142.

Castro, I., Mason, K.M., Armstrong, D.P., and Lambert, D.M. 2004. Effect of extra-pair paternity on effective population size in a reintroduced population of the endangered hihi, and potential for behavioural management. Conserv. Genet. 5(3):381-393.

Heenan, P.B., and Molloy, B.P.J. 2004. Taxonomy, ecology, and conservation of Olearia adenocarpa (Asteraceae), a new species from braided riverbeds in Canterbury, New Zealand. New Zeal. J. Bot. 42(1):21-36.

Noble, R.A.A., Harvey, J.P., and Cowx, I.G. 2004. Can management of freshwater fish populations be used to protect and enhance the conservation status of a rare, fish-eating bird, the bittern, Botaurus stellaris, in the UK? Fish. Manag. Ecol. 11(3-4):291-302.